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cover of episode 825: Yousef

825: Yousef

2024/3/3
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This American Life

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Yousef Hamash, a Gaza resident working for the Norwegian Refugee Council, faces the daunting task of relocating his extended family to safety in Rafah amidst the escalating war. He builds tents, secures provisions, and navigates complex family dynamics while grappling with personal loss and the constant threat of violence.
  • Yousef builds tents and secures a place in Rafah for his extended family.
  • He faces resistance from his family members, especially his pregnant sister, due to concerns about safety and living conditions.
  • Yousef struggles with the emotional toll of the war, including the news of his uncle's death, which he keeps from his mother.
  • He prioritizes his family's safety, driven by a fear of losing them.
  • The constant threat of bombing and airstrikes adds to the urgency and difficulty of the relocation.

Shownotes Transcript

A series of phone calls to a man in Gaza named Yousef Hammash, between early December and now. He talks about what he and his family are experiencing, sometimes as they are experiencing it.

  • Act One: Over the course of one week in December, Yousef tries to get his sisters to safety, in Rafah. (29 minutes)
  • Act Two: Yousef is managing a camp of 60 people in Rafah, including his youngest sister, who is 8 months pregnant. Every day there’s talk that Israel will launch a ground assault in Rafah. Yousef and his sister make a plan for her to give birth safely, but it doesn’t go according to plan. And all 60 people in the family are looking to Yousef to tell them where they should go next and how to stay safe. (27 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org)